In 2011, the Department of Energy indicated that buildings consume more than 40 quadrillion British Thermal Units (BTUs) per year, accounting for nearly 40 percent of energy use in the United States, for example. In contrast to the amount of energy consumed to achieve comfort levels in buildings, the actual energy needed to maintain human comfort (heating/cooling) and to satisfy other energy needs, such as entertainment, lighting, computing, cooking, domestic hot water, and the like, may be achieved using only a fraction of this amount. A large portion of the energy consumed is wasted through inefficient production and distribution.
HVAC systems in residential and commercial settings may utilize energy control elements that may manage environmental conditions in a limited environment, such as in the vicinity of the thermostat. However, such systems provide limited inputs to the HVAC control system (or may operate as the HVAC controller), resulting in limited system control. As a result, a poorly placed thermostat may result in wasted energy consumption and poor environmental management.